Viewing Room: Michael Stevenson

Co-organized with SculptureCenter, this edition of Viewing Room will feature the work The Fountain of Prosperity (2006) by New Zealand artist Michael Stevenson.

The Fountain of Prosperity was created after the artist's extensive research into the Phillips Machine, a.k.a. Moniac, a hydro-mechanical computer invented in 1949 by Bill Phillips with the purpose to represent fiscal and monetary flows in a national economy. The Moniac was initially used for educational purposes, but it was eventually marketed to developing countries. Stevenson's sculpture is inspired by this market shift, and stems largely from archival and field research in Guatemala, where the Central Bank purchased a Moniac in 1953.

Viewing Room is organized by Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy, curator of contemporary art at the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, with artist Alejandro Cesarco. On the occasion of Viewing Room at SculptureCenter, they have worked closely with Mary Ceruti (SculptureCenter Executive Director and Chief Curator) and Ruba Katrib (SculptureCenter Curator) in designing the presentation of The Fountain of Prosperity by Michael Stevenson.

ProgramJuly 21, 2015 6–8pmAn accompanying public program includes presentations by three people, each speaking about this work through a specific lens: curator Lauren Cornell on artistic research; critic Jason Farago on the economy; and, anthropologist Michael Taussig on storytelling. During this event, copies of Michael Stevenson’s related publication “c/o The Central Bank of Guatemala” will be distributed, beverages will be served, and, hopefully, conversations will ensue.